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Home » Dietary Preference » Vegetarian » The Perfect Bowl of Steel Cut Oats

The Perfect Bowl of Steel Cut Oats

By Taesha Butler November 20, 2014 (Updated January 13, 2022) 1 Comment

Servings4 servings
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Jump to Recipe
5 from 2 votes

This healthy Perfect Bowl of Steel Cut Oats is easy peasy to make, even before you’ve had your first cup of joe in the morning. Your happy body, warm gut, and wallet will thank you for the (slightly) extra effort!

It’s Tuesday morning. Your alarm clock goes off. You hit snooze. Once. Twice. Three times. Okay, now it’s really time to get your butt out of bed and downstairs to start breakfast.

As you peel the cozy blankets off of yourself and your feet hit the freezing floor, a chill runs up through your body. Brrrr. What’s a better gut-warming breakfast on a chilly morning than a piping hot bowl of steel cut oats, right? Easy, NONE!

But, please, don’t even think about cooking up one of those little packets of instant oatmeal that claims to taste like apple cinnamon when it doesn’t actually contain any apples or cinnamon.

Saying oatmeal is a breakfast staple in my household is a gross understatement.  We eat it more mornings than not and on the mornings I shake it up and, say, make something as crazy as scrambled eggs or pancakes for breakfast, my 3-year-old weeps (literally) for her beloved oatmeal.  So, I’ve had many, many, many opportunities to fine tune my oatmeal making skills. 

What are steel cut oats?

Steel cut oats are from the same plant as traditional rolled oats (the flat flake variety), but are just processed differently. The oat grain of steel cut oatmeal is cut into thirds with a sharp, steel blade instead of being rolled flat into rolled oats.

Steel cut oatmeal and rolled oatmeal are nearly identical nutritionally, with the exception of steel cut oats being slightly lower in calories, fat, and holding a lower position on the Glycemic Index.  

Why opting for steel cut oatmeal?

My family opts for steel cut oatmeal because we love the dense, chewy texture of it. It’s such a chameleon of breakfast cereals, as you can doctor it in any way your little heart desires.

My husband claims he never tires of his breakfast bowl frequently brimming with oatmeal because I make it different each day.

While making steel cut oats isn’t rocket science, it can be one of those finicky dishes that is a bit temperamental about how it is cooked.

I often will put on the oatmeal to cook and either drink a cup of coffee on the couch in front of the morning news or jog up stairs to finish getting ready while it simmers away, returning to the stove now and then to give it a stir.

Stirring is important. No stirring= big clumps of oatmeal. No bueno. 

A tasty closeup of the Perfect Bowl of Steel Cut Oats with a wooden spoon on the side on the table.

What can you put on your oatmeal?

So, now that you have this lovely bowl of steel cut oats in front of you, what do you put on it? I’ve got you covered.

Below is a list of all the things I use to make oatmeal interesting each day. Mix and match. Add and subtract. Have fun with it! Don’t take oatmeal too seriously, people.

For something sweet

  • sliced peaches
  • berries
  • sliced mango
  • pomegranate seeds  
  • sliced apples
  • applesauce
  • dates*
  • sliced bananas
  • dash of cinnamon
  • whipped coconut cream* 
  • peanut butter*
  • maple syrup*
  • honey*
  • coconut sugar* 
  • cocoa powder* 

* use in moderation.

For something with a crunch

  • pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds) 
  • chopped walnuts
  • pecan pieces  
  • sunflower seeds
  • slivered almonds
  • chia seeds
  • chopped cashews

For something savory

Yes, savory oatmeal! Remember, oatmeal is a chameleon and can take on whatever form you want. If you aren’t in the mood for something sweet, don’t walk past the oatmeal bowl quite yet. Try out these savory ideas!

  • a poached egg
  • sautéed kale  
  • sauteed spinach
  • cheese
  • nutritional yeast
  • sesame seeds
  • soy sauce
  • sea salt
  • black pepper
  • avocado
  • crushed red pepper
  • chives
  • cayenne
  • sautéed mushrooms  

Now, go! Cook and eat this perfect bowl of steel cut oats! And be merry and full!

Other oats recipes you’ll adore

  • Classic Overnight Oats
  • Peaches & Cream Overnight Oats
  • Fantasticly Fall Pumpkin Oats
  • Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

Enjoying this bowl of steel cut oats?

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Overhead on the Perfect Bowl of Steel Cut Oats with raspberries around the bowl
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

The Perfect Bowl of Steel Cut Oats

This healthy Perfect Bowl of Steel Cut Oats is easy peasy to make, even before you've had your first cup of joe in the morning. Your happy body, warm gut, and wallet will thank you for the (slightly) extra effort!
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Keyword: healthy breakfast, overnight oats recipe, steel cut oats
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 154kcal
Author: Taesha Butler

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup steel cut oats
  • 3 cups water or you can use milk or a plant-based milk for creamier option. Half water, half milk is also acceptable.

Instructions 

  • Bring water to a rolling boil on high heat. Stir in steel cut oats. 
  • Cook for 20 minutes on a low simmer uncovered stirring occasionally.

Notes

Stirring is important. No stirring= big clumps of oatmeal. No bueno. 

Nutrition

Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 9mg | Fiber: 4g | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 2mg

The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!

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Filed Under: Gluten-Free, Oatmeal, Vegan, Vegetarian

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    Did you make this recipe? So good, right? It would mean the world to me if you left a comment and star rating so that more people can see how delicious veggie-loading can be. Plus, it helps me to see what recipes you are all loving so I can make more like them.

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    Comments

  1. Helena

    August 25, 2021 at 9:08 pm

    5 stars
    My mornings will never be the same now! 😉

    Reply

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Hi! I'm Taesha! I help busy people fall in love with healthy eating with my simple, family-friendly, veggie-loaded recipes. I believe vegetables can and SHOULD be delicious. Here, let me show you how!

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